Hubcap with locking means



Nov. 17, 1953 c. T. SKILLMAN EFAL HUBCAP WITH LOCKING'MEANS Filed Jan. 22, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. /a

III! I Claude r. .Skillma n Mitchell K/srner INVENTORS Nov. 17, 1953 c. T. SKILLMAN ETAL I 2,659,229

Filed Jan. 22, 1951 Claude 7- Sk/l/m an M/rche/l K/s/ner INVENTORS Patented Nov. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HUBCAP WITH LOCKING MEANS Claude T. Skillman and Mitchell Kistner,

Santa Maria, Calif.

Application January 22, 1951, Serial No. 207,122

3 Claims. (01. 70259) vehicle to prevent the removal of the wheel from v the vehicle without the use of a'particular key provided for this purpose. v

Another important object of thefpres'ent invention is to provide a device of this character which Will not require any modification whatsoever of conventional vehicle hubs, the conventional wheels, nor the conventional means by which the wheels are secured to the'hubs, in its use.'

Another object of the'present invention closely allied with the preceding objects of the present invention is to provide an anti-theitdevice which is retained in its protective position by the conventional means utilized tosecure the wheels of avehicle to the axle driven hub. v f

Still another important object offthe present invention is to provide a device of this character which may be readily installed, .land"which will, permit, by the use of a key, the quiclrremoval of the hub cap so thataccess may be had to the wheel securing means; I i 4 A meritorious feature-of the present invention resides in the fact that themounting bracket re quires no special securing means, and is secured to the hub and thewheel by the. conventional Another important. feature of thepresent':

'vention resides in the provision-of a locking hub caprconstruction. which; may be used "in; com un'ction with the conventional hub cap 'norm'allypro- 'vided, and which requires, only .a slight modifi-- cation in th latter-for such use. 7

Still another important feature of the, present invention resides-in thenovellkey'operated means studs and boltsprovided for their attachment.

provided for securing the locking hub cap to themounting bracket, as well as the provision of the compression spring for urging; the'locking hub cap away from the mounting'bracketiand 'tensioning the latch elements againstthe imount- 7 ing bracket, whereby the locking hub cap may I be readily removed without;requiringthe-useof a special prying tool when the latch elements are released, and whereby tension 'is place'd upon'the movabl'e parts of=thc assembly topreventtra tle.

rem d;

studs' l6 extend, ub I 6 A final important feature of the present invention to be specifically enumerated herein resides in the simplicity of the same and the resulting low cost 'of' manufacture thereof, together with the efiiciency and the durability of the device in use. 7

These, together with various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds,

are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

' Figure 1 is a sectional view taken upon the plane or the broken section line I of Figure 5', and in addition to the structure shown in Figure 5, this view shows the manner in whichthe lockinghub cap engages th wheel and is secured to the mounting bracket;

. Figure 2is an enlarged central sectional detail view'of the locking means, showing. the locking means in looking engagement with the'mounting bracket; I I

Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 2, however,this view showing. thelockingmeans disengaged from the mounting bracket; V Figure 4 is a side elevationalview showing the outer side ofthe locking 'hub cap; a l

'Figure 5 is a side velevationalview of the struc-;

ture shown in Figure 1 with the'locking hub cap Figure 6 is a a side of the locking hub'cap;

Figure 7 is an-enlargedside elevational view of the inner end of the locking meansi, and

Figure 8 is a perspective-view of a key suitable rpr' usein theprescn't invention. l

l Reierence is'now made more specifically tolthe; facoolnpanyingdrawings, wherein like numerals' designate similarparts throughout theflvarious views, and inwhich the referencenumeral I0 I designates generally-V a rotatable hub construc tion including a rotatablelhub that is secured by'thejusual' means ld to. an axle notlsho'wn. 5

conventionally, the hub isprovided with 'a plu rality of thre'aded axially extending studs [6 by means of which a wheel (only partially shown) designated generally at lfiis secured tothe hub [2. 'The'central portion 20 of the wheel [8 is concavedwandiis pr v ded with a plurality. of openings 22 therethrough through fwhich the the wheel I 8' being secured; tothe ofnuts 24 threaded on the studs 5 side "seasons; view or t e in aesazze It will be appreciated that the structure thus far described is conventional and forms the basis for the attachment of the present invention to be now described. A triangular shaped mounting bracket 26 is provided having attaching openings 28. The bracket 26 is positioned with three of the studs [6 extending through the openings 28 with three of the nuts 24 retaining the bracket 26 in fixed relation to the wheel l8 and the hub l2 as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 5. It will be noted that the central portion 30 of the bracket 26 is ofiset to be spaced from the axle and the securing means I4.

A hub construction designated generallyat 32 is provided which includes an inner hub cap .34 which is removably retained in position by means of a securing rim 36 that is frictionally engaged by a plurality of spring clips 38 suitably secured to the central portion 20 of the wheel 18. An outer or locking hub cap 49 .is provided, which, as shown in Figure 1, has peripheral flanges '42 that extend into the concaved central portion 20 and are adapted to engage the wheel 18 so as'to form conjunction with the concaved' central portion 20 "a housing for the nuts 24,the bracket 26, the securing means 14, and the inner hub cap 34;

The central portion 44 of the locking hub cap 40 is depressed, as clearly shown in Figure 1, and is secured asby welding or the like 46 to the central portion of the inner hub cap 34. A locking construction designated generally at 48 is provided, which locking construction 48 includes a housing 50 that extends through'aligned openings 52in the hub caps 34 and 49. The outer surface of the housing 50 is vprovided with a shoulder 54 that i's seated against the inner surface of the hubc'ap 34, and the housing 56 is retained in fixed relation with respect to the hub caps by means of welding orthe like 56 securing the central portion 44 of the hub cap .40 to the housing 50. N J v v ,7

Suitably fixed within the housing 50 is a thinlble or cap which includes cylindrical side walls '58 and an integral end wall .68. A pair of generally V -shaped members 62 are dispos'ed within the housing 50 and extend through diametrically opposed slot in the side walls "58. The apices' 66 of the v-shaped members fifextendin opposed relation and are in rolling eontact with r the housing 50 so that the V-shaped member'sfl are oscillatably mounted within the housing 150, with the slot 64 preventing rotationof the members 62 about the longitudinal axis or the housing 50. I a

The outer ends ef'the'wshaped members 62 are providedwith, oppos tel extending'lockin'g cogs- 68, which; as shownin Figure 2, extend'outwardly through slots 10 at the inner endofhous 50 to engage the portion 30 of the braeketjfi when the members62, are oscillatedto an exitreme position in one direction, it. being noted that'the portion, of the bracket tfi isproyided witha central opening 12 into which the housingio'removably extends. Upon comparing Figure 2to Figure 3, it-will be seen that the members 62 may be oscillated from thelocking'bosition shown'in Figure 2 to a position inwhi'c'h the-locking dogs 68 are disengaged fro niflth'e sme ma.

7 Means provided for yieldiiigly urging the locking dogs 68 into their extendedfir lockingjposition, such b means including apoil compression :spring "disposed in the housing and is seated between-the ends of the members 62 remote from r -ea the locking dogs 68 and an internal shoulderj'lli l formed in the housing 50. It will be appreciated 4 that the spring 14 tends to urge the ends of the members 62 remote from the locking dogs 68 toward each other so that the members 62 oscillate about their apices 66 to move the locking dogs 68 outwardly.

Means is provided for spreading the ends of the members 62 remote from the locking dogs 68 so as to move the locking dogs 68 against the action of the spring I4 :t o theretracted position shown in Figure 3. Such means comprises 2. cylindrical element 18 journaled in the housing 50 having an opening therethrough complementary to the shank portion 82 of the key designated generallyat 84 shown in Figure 8.

g It will benoted that the shank 82 of the key 84 is generally fiat and may be inserted between the ends 86 of the members 62 when the latter are in a locking position as shown in Figure 2. It will also be appreciated that the spacing of the ends 861s such that upon rotation of the key 84 the latter will spread theends 8B apart by a camming action from the position shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 3.

The inner-end of the key 84 is provided witha cylindrical projection88 that is slidably received in an opening 90 provided in the end walled so as to insure axial alignment of the key 84 with the housing so.

It will be evident that the element '18 may be a conventional tumbler if desired; however, such construction is not required the present inven'- tion inasmuch as it is thought that the unique shape of the openingSil andthe shank '32 of the key willafiord sufficient protection. I

In order to assure easy removal of the locking hub cap construction 32 from-the wheel 8 when the locking dogs '68 are disengaged from the bracket 26, a coil compression spring 92 is dispos'ed to surround the housing 50 andis seated between the bracket'26 and the inner hub cap 34, it being noted that the spring '92 provides suitable tension on the 'movable elements ofthe construetion to avoid 'r'attles and the like.

The advantages of the present inventionwill bereadily apparent. It will be readilyapparent upon inspection of Figure 1, that the locking hub "cap construction prevents access to the nuts 2 2 without the useof the key 84, so that unauthorized persons may not tamper with the nuts 24 'or remove the wheel [8. Animportant function'of the present invention resides in the fact that upon removal of a 'torsion force on the key 84 to unlock the hub caps, the spring 14 bears upon the inner ends"; of the members 62 to cause the inner ends 86 to camthekey 8 4 and consequent l'y'the element 18 to the normal position'shown 'in Fi'gure '2, so :that no difiiculty will be expe- "iienced in re-inserting the shank 82 of the key 84 between the inner ends 86 when it 'is desi red to unlock thesaine, Whilethe"form of the invention disclesed snpws' u at the s ank-:52 er the key 84 constitutes the cain to spread the-inner endsBfi, it will bappreciated that the element-1t may beprovided with 'a flat extension (not shown) which "is normally disposed between the inner en s amp that upon merely turning the element Vlil by a key, the inner ends 86 will be spreadto unlock the device.

From the foregoingthe cdnstruction and operation 9; the device will be readily understate and i'urther explanationis believed to'be unnec- However; I since numerous modifications and changes will-readily occun to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Havin described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A lock. assembly comprising a bracket having a central opening, latching means secured to said bracket including a housing having one end located within said opening, a pair of V- shaped members mounted in said one end of said housing, each v-shaped member having an inner and outer end, oppositely projecting latch elements atthe outer ends of the members normally engaging the bracket, a transverse plate in said housing, the members pivotally disposed between said plate and the housing, a tumbler lock mechanism secured in the other end of said housing, a compression spring partially surrounding said lock mechanism and bearing on the inner ends of said members and a portion of said housing, said spring urging said inner ends of the members towards each other and the latch elements away from each other, and a key receivable in said lock mechanism to cam the inner ends of said members away from each other and the latch elements toward each other and out of engagement with the bracket.

2. The lock assembly of claim 1, wherein said key is rotated to produce the camming action.

3. A lock assembly comprising a bracket having a central opening, latching means secured to said bracket including a housing having one end located within said opening, a pair 0f V- shaped members mounted in said one end of said housing, each V-shaped member having an inner and outer end, oppositely projecting latch elements at the'outer ends of the members normally engaging the bracket, a transverse plate in said housing, the members pivotally disposed between said plate and the housing, a compression spring retained in said housing and bearing on the inner ends of said members, said spring urging said inner ends of the members towards each other and the latch elements away from each other, and means receivable endwise in said housing between the members to cam said inner ends of the members away from each other and the latch elements towards each other and out of engagement with the bracket.

CLAUDE T. SKILLMAN. MITCHELL KISTNER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,533,629 Best Apr. 14, 1925 1,601,359 Harrington Sept. 28, 1926 1,883,032 Smith Oct. 18, 1932 2,316,936 Davis Apr. 20, 1943 2,345 949 Robbins Apr. 4, 1944 2,493,366 Simcich Jan. 3, 1950 2,535,126 Flowers et a1. Dec. 26, 1950 

